Truck tank



Nov. 14, 1933.

A. DAVIS, JR 1,935,044

TRUCK TANK Filed May 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'jl'fifil 5 7 l I a 1 i r i l I 1 1 IL L J W1 I Il /Lig- 11 I I, I!) I 11.1 1

gElYTOR BY;

i AT%OZVEY Nov. 14, 1933. DAVIS, JR 1,935,044

TRUCK TANK Filed May 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A ORNEY Patented Nov. 14, 1933 TRUCK'TANK Augtaim nms; Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio Application May'17, 1930.,Serial N0. 4 53,1f

' 19 Claims; (Green-s6) *Onepart of the invention relates to an improvedarrangement -for hose-filling, that is to sayenclosed filling of truck tanks, In this connectionyobjects of the invention are to provide a fire-walled "device adapted to receive a hose and to conduct a solid streamof liquid from the fillinghoseto'apoint-near the bottom of the tank, andtoqsupportthis,devicein the'rnanhole in such mannerthatgit. can be lifted'out, and that it does 1 not require, modification of the manhole cover or ,interferetherewith=or, with its locking mechanism or other partscarried bythe cover. The invention employs a fire-wall reducer-or inner closure, andin the lower part of this re- 1 "5 ducer; ,which'is preferablyof a-truncated conical form or of other dished shaped extending downward in the upper part of the'tank,-a fill-tube is fixed, the top ofr this tube projecting upward for a distance in the depression formed bythe reducer and being'provi'ded with'means forooupling-a hose when the manhole cover is open. Byireason of the manner in which this tube is supported, its .hose coupling end is, accommodated belowthe'cover, in thespace between the 5 cover andthe reducein,

we The lower :end of the fill-tube is guarded by, a

and vapor while the tank is being filled, and the lower fire-screened opening .also' 'provides for draining into the tank any liquid which would otherwise be caught :the basin" of the reducer aroundithe upper endof the filling-tube. c i "Other .featurestoi the invention-will become apparent 'asithe specification proceeds. .In' the accompanying. drawings forming. part hereof I T 4 Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in verticalzsecftion'showing the invention applied to fa"tank,,

a portionof thetank and the filling structure between .the top "and bottom being broken out;

- and "J'Fig. 2 is a sectionalplan taken on the line 2'2 The tank 2 has a'flanged'I-up manhole opening a 3 in its top; and welded to 'the-tank-shell around theopening' there is a ring orframe 4,1to which amanhole cover 5 is ,appli'ed This cover maybe of'the connection collar; These openingsvent air hinged as shown or it may be entirely removable to afford entrance by a person into the tank. The cover is shown as provided with looking d e. vices 6 below its under side to engage an S-shaped lip 7 bent inward from the top of the frame 4, and at its center the cover carries a vent device 8, which may be rotatableandconnected with the locking bars 6 so that by turning the vent device the bars can be projected or retracted. Similar features are disclosed in the application of 651 Paul S. Shield, Serial No..201,059, filed June 24, 1927, and do not require special illustration since they form no part of this invention and since other means for securing the manholecover in closed position may be employed. v

' As'in theShield application, a ring 9 of angular section is welded to the frame 4 to afford an inwardly projecting ledge 10' intermediate the height of the frame, andas in said application this ledge serves as a support on which rests the out- 7 turned periphery 11 of an inverted truncated coni ical reducer 12, but this reducer, insteadof'serving as a'funnel entrance to a broad tube for open, gravity'filling as in the said application,

here becomes a dropped support for a narrow fill- 8D:

tube l3, which is designed toconduct a solid stream of liquidfrom a filling hose, whichcan be connected with this tube when the coveris opened.

A ring 14 of channel section is preferably welded into an opening in the lower end ofthe re- 35 ducer, to constitute a part thereof,v and within this ring the fill-tube is welded. The top of the fill-tube projects for a substantial distance above the low part of the reducer and includes a'heavywalled collar 15 which is welded to the tube and is go formed with an external screwthread, onwhich j is-screwed the fixed element 16 of. a quick-acting" hose coupling; The provision thus made for the connection of a filling hose lies within'the chamber between thereducer 12 and the cover 5-'when the latter'isclosed. Any standard or suitable form of hose coupling may be employed, The parts 9, 12 and 14 form a fire-wall extending across the manhole, from the frame 4 to the fill-tube 13, and the latter is a tubular fire-wall extending practically to the bottom of thetank, I x f As in the Shield application, one or. more vent openings 17 are formed inYtheringJQ at thee-top o'fthe reducer 12, these openings being guarded by fire screen's 181 The ring 14 is also provided withone or! more vent openings-l9, likewise cov- 'ered by fire-screens 20. This ring couldbe made i in one piece with the; reducer, but the provision of-a ,ring made of a separate piece isadvanta geous since it enables the same reducers to be carried in stock by the manufacturer to take either the narrow-fill-tube for hose filling as in the present application or a broad tube for gravity filling as in the Shield application, and the ring is also a strong part in which to locate the screened openings 19. These openings will drain into the tank any gasolene which may get into the basin of the reducer.

The lowerportion of the tube 13 enters and passes downward within a cylindrical cage 21 of much larger diameter, the upper head 22 of this cage having a flanged opening in which the tube fits frictionally, forming a slip joint. Large openings 23 are cut in the side of this cage and are covered by a fire-screen 24, which in turn is covered by a heavy protective metal mesh 25. Another opening 26 in the bottom of the cage, guarded by a fire screen 27, allows the cage to be entirely drained when the tank or a compartment thereof is emptied.

The cage is preferably secured in the lower part of the tank by bolted connections 28 between lugs welded to the sides of the cage and to the bottom of the tank, respectively. The fill-tube can therefore be withdrawn without disturbing the cage, but the latter can also be removed by taking out the bolts.

Fastenings 29 on the ledge 10 engage over the periphery of the reducer 12, so as to hold the filling structure firmly in place but in a removable manner. When the cover 5 is opened and these fastenings are released, the reducer and fill-tube can be lifted out, leaving th'e manhole unobstructed.

An indicator may be provided in the following manner:

An opening is made in the reducer at a distance from the fill-tube,and in this opening a small indicator tube 31 is welded sothat the up- 1 per end of the tube'projects into the chamber above the reducer and below the cover, while the major part of the tube extends downward a foot or so into the interior of the tank. The lower end of thisindicator tube is covered by a firescreen 32, which allows the gasolene to rise up ward in the tube as the filling of the tank proceeds but prevents flame from striking into the tank through the indicator opening.

A fioat33 in the indicator tube ascends with the liquid and causes an indicator rod 34 connected to the heat to rise upwardly above the reducer, giving ample warning to the attendant before it is necessary to cut off the supply of gasolene to" avoid overfilling. The indicator rod is guided in a hole in a cross-piece 37 at the top of the indicator tube, and this piece has an overhanging lug 35 beneath which the laterally bent end 36 of the rod can be turned to hold the rod various changes are permissible withoutdeparting from the invention as set forth in the claims.

Iclaim:

1.-In a vehicle tank having a [manhole and a manhole cover, a fire-wall. reducer removably supported in the manholeof the tank below said cover-,a fill-tubenentirely withinthe tank 'secured in said reducer and extending to a point nearithe bottom of the tank, the upper portion of said fill-tube rising from the reducer, and

means within the tank, at the top of the fill-tube and beneath the cover for coupling a hose when the manhole cover is open.

2. In a vehicle tank having a manhole opening in the top, the combination of a fixed frame surrounding said opening, a manhole cover apfor coupling a hose when said manhole cover is open. 3. In a vehicle tank having'an opening in the top, a fixed frame surrounding said opening,

and a cover appliedto said frame, a fire-wall reducer within the tank beneath said cover, said reducer being removably supported at its periph-l cry in said frame so that it can be lifted out and extending downward to form a depression, a filltube secured in the lower part of said reducer and extending downward to a point near the bottom of the tank, the top of said fill-tube projecting upward in said depression and carrying a hose coupling element, and fire-screens guarding openings at the top of the reducer and also at the lower portion of the same, the lower firescresned opening serving to drain liquid into the an r 4. In a vehicle tank having a manhole provided with a cover, a truncated conical fire-wall reducer hung in said manhole within the tank so that it can be lifted out to afford ingress into the tank, a ring fixed in the lower end of said reducer, a fill-tube secured in said ring and extending to a point near the bottom of the tank, a screw-threaded collar secured to the upper end of said fill-tube and projecting upward within the depression of the reducer, and a hose coupling element applied to said collar.

5. In a vehicle tank having an opening in the top. provided with a cover, a truncated conical fire-wall reducer hung within the tank in said opening below the cover so that it can be lifted out, a ring fixed in'the lower end of said reducer, and a fill-tube entirely within the'tank fixed in said ring and extending to a point near the bottom of the tank, the top of said fill-tube projecting upward within the reducer and carrying the fixed element of a hose coupling, said ring having an opening and a fire-screen guarding said opening. 7

6. In a vehicle tank having an opening in the top provided with a cover, a fire-wall reducer hung within the tank in said opening, said reducer being supported removably at its periphery so that it can be lifted out through the opening, a fill-tube entirely within the tank secured in said reducer and extending to a point near the bottom of the tank, the top of said fill-tube. projecting withinthe reducer and carrying the fixed element of a hose coupling, and means providing a fire-screened opening through the-lower portion of the reducer to'drain liquid from the reducer intothe tank. 7

'7. In a vehicle, tank having an, opening in the top provided with a cover, a fill-tube entirely within-the tank supported in said opening and extending to a'point near the bottom of the tank, a fire-walling below the cover extending .from the upper part of said fill-tube to the walls of the tank, means removably supporting said fire-walling and said fill-tube so that they can be removed through said opening, said firewalling provided with fire-screened openings, the top of said fill-tube projecting upward from said fire-walling and carrying means beneath the cover for coupling a hose, and a cage in the lower part of the tank of larger diameter thanthe fill-tube into which the fill-tube descends, said cage having fire-screened openings of large area through which liquid introduced through the fill-tube passes to the general interior of the tank.

8. In a vehicle having an opening in the top, a fill-tube entirely within the tank extending to a point near the bottom of the tank, means removably supporting said fill-tube so that it can be withdrawn through said'opening, and a cage held in the lower portion of the tank and having fire-screened openings of large area, said fill-tube extending downward into said cage and there-being a slip connection between the tube and the top of the cage.

9. In a vehicle tank having an opening in its top and a cover for said'opening, a fire-wall reducer in the tank hung removably in said opening below said cover, a fill-tube entirely within the tank secured in said reducer and extending to a point near the bottom of the tank, the top of said fill-tube projecting upward within the reducer and having means for the connection of a hose, and a cage in the lower partof the tank into which the lower portion of the fill-tube extends, said cage having fire-screened openings of large area through which liquid introduced through said tube passes to the general interior of the tank.

AUGUSTINE DAVIS, JR. 

